Fatima Isah, otherwise known as Teemah Makamashi in Kannywood, has vowed to continue to act as long as she wants. She tells ALIYU ASKIRA in this chitchat that the recent crisis that engulfed the industry will not affect her desire to remain very active in Kannywood. Teemah also speaks on her plans for the future, a recent sex video showing her allegedly having fun with an Abuja-based politician.
Kannywood has been in a state of coma with little activities taking place; this appears to have taken its toll on you financially. Also, there are lots of blackmail cases these days in the industry. How do you react to all these?
Of course, since the Covid-19 crisis started the federal government in its wisdom to protect the citizens from contracting the virus suspended activities in major industries. In fact, even schools and the entire government structure were closed down, and we were also affected. We suspended production and this has affected many of our members financially, but for somebody like me I have my shops here and there with my staff working for me.
So, life continues but as you can see the directors and producers are now going back to business and things will improve very soon, especially that the industry has now device a way of marketing their films. Directors now prefer to produce their films in series, and then sell to television houses like Arewa 24 and other foreign television stations. This is paying off and in the near future, we will move from YouTube to establishing our television houses. So far, some of us have started establishing cinema houses; we have one on Zoo Road, Platinum Cinema House and the famous cinema house in Ado Bayero Shoprite that has three to four halls that can show films simultaneously.
What will you say are your gains from Kannywood, despite the fact that your former friend Sadiya Haruna alleged that you wanted to use a sex video to blackmail an Abuja-based politician?
You see, you are one person that knows the industry in and out. Sadiya Haruna was my friend, I will not deny that. But later, when she had her crisis with Isah A. Isah and she alleged many things against him, I distanced myself from her. I am the ambassador of FKD, a film production company belonging to Ali Nuhu. I am also popular and active in many film projects, including chains of businesses here and there; so, I cannot afford to play cheap to blackmailers. Where is Sadiya Haruna today? She is in jail and that is what her attitude has caused her.
You did not answer me properly; use this opportunity to tell us more about the so-called sex video.
I was told she sent the video to many of my friends in the industry, and after they watched it, they started calling me, telling me that it was me in the video. I am sure the one they released to social media, you might have watched it, but the truth is that it wasn’t me. I am neither a blackmailer nor a prostitute; so, it is not me and the truth is that I am not the one. If somebody has a video with Teemah Makamashi having fun inside, let him release it for everybody to see; that is cheap blackmail and they cannot succeed in running me down.
You’re said to be among the female mafia in Kannywood; this means that you are the one that do and undo in Kannywood. What’s your reaction to this?
Before now nobody knew Teemah Makamashi or Fatima Isah until when I joined Kannywood and fortunately for me I became a star so fast. The industry and the stakeholders are kind to me by featuring me in several of their high-budget films like Mariya. I will always live to remember that film produced by Ali Nuhu. Since I came here it has been success upon success for me, and today I am virtually a household name. Wherever I go people always want to identify with me by collecting my address and number and all these are because Kannywood made me what I am.
Have you been married before?
Yes, you are one of those who are fully aware that I was once married before I joined Kannywood. I mean I was once married, but when my marriage packed up, I found my way into Kannywood and relocated fully to Kano. In fact, I have two children and it is my desire to marry again at a convenient time. At the moment I have people who are ready to marry me, but I have a target to achieve before settling down again. What I mean is that things have changed; women should be engaged in businesses so that they can assist their husbands whenever they settle down. That is why before I opened some of my shops I was advertising my products on social media.
On whether or not Kannywood is an industry that comprises people that are morally corrupt, I will say it is not true. However, we have those that are out to blackmail others once they discover that you are progressing in your career. Politicians use us to win elections, famous people in society use our music for weddings and, generally, Kannywood members have been playing vital roles in subsequent elections in the country, especially the 2015 and 2019.
What’s your take on the N3m that Naziru Sarkin Waka doled out to Ladi Cima and Fati Slow Motion?
In every situation, you discover that there are positive and negative sides. Old Ladi Cima went to BBC Hausa and granted an interview to them and it has led to many things – bad comments and good comments. In all, it is the making of God that this crisis will be a blessing for Ladi Cima and Fati Slow Motion, but basically the aspect I am not happy about was to say that most actresses in Kannywood usually sleep with directors or producers before they can get roles in films. This did not happen to me and by the grace of God, at my level, such will not happen to me.
